Features How It Works FAQ Compare Download
SYS · COMPARE

DropLink Nearby Share

Nearby Share (Quick Share on newer devices) is Google's answer to AirDrop — but it only works on Android and Windows. DropLink is true cross-platform: Mac, Windows, iPhone and any browser, with end-to-end encryption and optional internet transfer.

//

Quick answer

Nearby Share (Quick Share) is Google's AirDrop equivalent — but it only works on Android and (partly) Windows. DropLink works natively on macOS, Windows and iPhone (Web UI), so it covers the ecosystems Nearby Share leaves out. Technically, Nearby Share uses Bluetooth for discovery and Wi-Fi Direct / Wi-Fi hotspot for transfer; DropLink uses mDNS/Bonjour for discovery and QUIC over standard Wi-Fi for transfer, which is more reliable on networks where Wi-Fi Direct negotiation fails (hotels, offices). DropLink also supports internet transfers via iroh P2P with DERP relay fallback — Nearby Share does not.

01

Feature matrix

Feature DropLink Nearby Share
Works on macOS
Works on iOS Coming soon
Works on Windows
Works on Android Via Web UI
Transfer over internet
Web UI — any browser
QUIC transport
End-to-end encryption
Works without Google account Partial
Receiver visibility control
Price Free Free
EXIT · 0

Should you switch to DropLink?

If your entire universe is Android + Windows, Nearby Share is convenient. For anyone with Apple devices in the mix — or who needs internet transfers — DropLink covers far more ground.

02

Common questions

Does Nearby Share work between Android and Mac?

No. Google's Nearby Share (now Quick Share) only works between Android and Windows. It does not support macOS or iOS. DropLink works natively on Mac and Windows, and via Web UI on any device with a browser — including Android.

Is Nearby Share reliable for large files?

Nearby Share has known reliability issues with device discovery and large files. It uses Bluetooth for initial pairing which can fail in crowded environments. DropLink uses mDNS/Bonjour for discovery and QUIC for transfer, which is more robust on modern networks.

Can I send files from Windows to iPhone with Nearby Share?

No — Nearby Share does not support iOS. DropLink (once the iOS app is released) will allow direct Windows ↔ iPhone transfers, and currently supports Windows ↔ Mac and iPhone → Mac via the share sheet.

Why DropLink is more universal than Nearby Share

Real cross-platform support

Nearby Share is an Android feature, extended to Chromebooks and, since 2023, Windows (as a separate app). It does not work on macOS or iOS. DropLink runs natively on macOS (SwiftUI), Windows (Tauri + Vue) and iOS (SwiftUI, in Apple review), all driven by the same Rust core, and via Web UI on any device with a browser — including Android. Feature parity is guaranteed because every platform shares the same core.

Discovery without Bluetooth pairing

Nearby Share uses Bluetooth Low Energy to advertise the device and negotiate the Wi-Fi connection. In crowded RF environments (conferences, open offices) Bluetooth discovery frequently fails. DropLink uses mDNS over IPv4 multicast on service type _droplink._udp.local., a well-tested standard with wide OS support, and publishes the QUIC certificate fingerprint in the TXT record for Trust On First Use verification.

QUIC over standard Wi-Fi, not Wi-Fi Direct

Nearby Share frequently negotiates a direct Wi-Fi link (Wi-Fi Direct or a temporary hotspot) between the two devices. This can fail when MDM, captive portals or enterprise Wi-Fi profiles restrict ad-hoc connections. DropLink uses the existing Wi-Fi network: devices are already associated to the same AP, so nothing else has to be negotiated. QUIC (RFC 9000) over UDP handles the transport, with BBR congestion control and 8 MB UDP socket buffers tuned for modern Wi-Fi.

Internet mode built in

Nearby Share assumes proximity — no internet transfer mode. DropLink falls back to iroh P2P with NAT traversal when the two devices are on different networks, and to a DERP relay when NAT hole-punching fails. The iroh public DNS discovery is disabled for privacy; only the DropLink-operated relay is used.

Security and privacy differences

Nearby Share can work without a Google account in 'Everyone' mode, but other visibility modes (Contacts, Your devices) require Google services and share account-level identifiers. DropLink has no account system at all: each install generates a local ed25519 keypair stored in the system Keychain (macOS/iOS) or on disk (Windows/Linux). Local transfers are encrypted with TLS 1.3 over QUIC with TOFU fingerprint verification via mDNS; remote transfers use Noise (IK) with ed25519 + curve25519, and BLAKE3 verified streaming ensures file integrity even if the relay were malicious.

Performance and reliability

macOS support
DropLink: native. Nearby Share: none.
iOS support
DropLink: Web UI now, native soon. Nearby Share: none.
Discovery
mDNS over IPv4 vs Bluetooth LE
Transport
QUIC over standard Wi-Fi vs Wi-Fi Direct
Internet fallback
DropLink: yes. Nearby Share: no.
Typical LAN speed
50+ MB/s on Wi-Fi 5/6

Technical FAQ

Does Nearby Share work between Android and Mac?

No. Google has never released Nearby Share (or Quick Share) for macOS or iOS. DropLink is the only option here: on Android the receiver can use the Web UI in a browser, on macOS there is a native app.

Why does Nearby Share fail on some networks?

Nearby Share typically sets up a direct Wi-Fi link between devices. Enterprise networks, captive portals, and MDM policies often block ad-hoc Wi-Fi connections. DropLink avoids this entirely: it transfers over the existing Wi-Fi network using QUIC over UDP, and also detects AP isolation (Wi-Fi that blocks device-to-device traffic) and falls back to internet P2P via iroh.

Is DropLink more secure than Nearby Share?

They are comparable on the local network: both use TLS/strong cipher suites. DropLink's approach is more transparent: TLS 1.3 (1.2 rejected) over QUIC, ECDSA P-256 certificates, TOFU verification via mDNS. For internet transfers, DropLink uses the Noise protocol (IK) over iroh, something Nearby Share simply does not support because it has no internet mode.

Can DropLink replace Nearby Share entirely for an Android-Mac household?

Yes. On Mac use the DropLink native app; on Android open the Web UI in Chrome. Discovery happens via mDNS on the LAN (no Bluetooth pairing), and transfer is full QUIC speed. If the Android and the Mac are on different networks, the iroh P2P path kicks in automatically.

03

Other comparisons

vs AirDrop vs LocalSend vs WeTransfer vs SHAREit vs Resilio Sync
Try DropLink Free